Calvary Missions Conference 2013

awaken

to god’s glory | to the world’s need

Missions Conference: Saturday April 20 - Monday, April 22 Our Missions Conference this year calls us to Awaken to what God is doing in response to widespread social issues and spiritual poverty; to find encouragement in His hand of control; and to be exposed to opportunities of greater vision and direction in our local community and in the world.

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On Saturday, we are excited to host a full-day conference not only for our own congregation, but for people from all around West Michigan who desire to see Christ’s name proclaimed around the world. Details about this one-day event are on page 2.

On Sunday we will celebrate what God has been doing in and through Calvary Church

along with opportunities to get involved and to see yourself in God’s mission to reach the world. For more details on Sunday activities, see pages 3-4.

We will also be happy to greet several of our missionaries who will be in town for this weekend! Look below for your best chances to catch up with them.

Men’s Breakfast

Prayer Luncheon

Saturday, April 20 7:00am | Room 129 | $5

Monday, April 22 Noon | Fellowship Hall | Free!

Calvary missionary Mike Ballast will be our featured speaker. Mike and his wife, Carolyn, have been Calvarysupported missionaries since 1981, serving in the Philippines as church planters. A full, hot breakfast will be served for only $5 (collected at the door). Please register by emailing men@calvarygr.org by noon on Wednesday, April 17.

Join us and our visiting missionaries for a wonderful opportunity to focus on specific requests from Calvary’s own local and global workers. A special time will be set apart to pray for and bless retiring missionaries Mike and Carolyn Ballast. To reserve your lunch, RSVP to Christ DeHaan (cdehaan@calvarygr.org) at Ext. 5022.

Workshop Sessions: Workshop Session 1 (10:00am – 11:00am) • Missions 101: Goals and Leadership Mark Sigmon, Global Impact Services, Perspectives • Missions 201: Finances and Partners Kurt Dillinger, LIFE International • Reaching the Least Reached Locally Joe Knight, Pastor, GR International Fellowship • Short Term Missions Phil Smart, Kentwood Community Church • Current Trends and Issues in Missions Pastor Bruce, Calvary Church • First Steps to the Mission Field SEND International

Workshop Session 2 (11:15am – 12:15pm) • Missions 101 (Repeat) Mark Sigmon, Global Impact Services, Perspectives

West Michigan Missions Forum Saturday, April 20, 2013

From its earliest days, God has given Calvary Church a passionate heart to reach the lost and serve the needy – around the world and in our own community. The centerpiece of this year’s missions conference Awaken is celebrating that passion and sharing it with other churches. In partnership with 20 other churches and mission agencies, we have planned a memorable day of learning, exploring, and awakening to Christ’s amazing Kingdom purposes. Along with two inspiring keynote sessions with Steve Moore (bio at right), there will be three sessions of practical hands-on workshops from which to choose.

Registration:

Awaken Forum Schedule

Calvary attendees have two options: • $10 for the full day, including lunch • FREE for any part of the day (not including lunch) You are welcome to choose a workshop or two that interest you, or stay for the full day. Either way, let us know you plan to join us by contacting Chris DeHaan (cdehaan@calvarygr.org) at Ext. 5022 by Friday, April 12.

• Missions 301: Mobilization; Next Steps Pastor Bruce, Calvary Church

Brief Workshop Descriptions

• Reaching the Least Reached Globally (Repeat) Joe Knight, Pastor, GR International Fellowship

Missions 101, 201, and 301: Interested in helping to lead the global and local missions movement? Want to have a hand in framing the impact of our going, sending, praying, giving, and serving? Attend this series to hear some of the best practices in other churches when it comes to setting goals, providing leadership, choosing partners, and getting excited about outreach. Then, talk to Celeste McDonough about where God might want to use you!

• Missionary Care Steve Van Zanen, Christian Reformed World Mission • Ministry in a World of Injustice Dave Guerrin, Manna Church, Holland • Becoming a Missional Family The Bergstroms & Perbergs

Workshop Session 3 (1:15pm – 2:15pm)

• Missions 201 (Repeat) Kurt Dillinger, LIFE International • Missions 301 (Repeat) Pastor Bruce, Calvary Church • Short-term Missions (Repeat) Phil Smart, Kentwood Community Church • Leading Through Missional Change Mark Sigmon, Global Impact Services, Perspectives • Ministry in a World of Poverty Jeff Johnson, Hope for Grieving Children • Next Steps to the Mission Field SEND International

Leading Through Missional Change: To continue the analogy, this is the “graduate level” on helping take our church to a whole new level in our outreach.

Reaching the Least Reached Globally and Locally: How can our church be more effective reaching those who have never heard – right here in West Michigan? Did you know that members of at least 25 unreached people groups live in Kent County? What is our response?

7:30 – 8:30 8:30 – 9:45 10:00 – 11:00 11:15 – 12:15 12:15 – 1:15 1:15 – 2:15 2:30 – 3:30

Short Term Missions: Most Calvary people know how much God has blessed us – and the world – through our short term mission program. This workshop will prepare you to help us do even better has we prayerfully seek the direction God has for us.

Current Trends and Issues in Missions: How does the explosion of technology around the world impact Gospel witness? How are churches being recognized as necessary and valuable partners in the mission endeavor? What does it mean that –in many mission fields today – over 40% of the population is under age 15? We live in a different economic climate than our parents – how does that impact missions funding? Our own Pastor Bruce will lead this discussion of “cutting edge” topics in missions.

First Steps/Next Steps to the Mission Field: Thinking God might be calling you to the mission field? Or just curious if you’ve “got it in you”?

Come and find out!

Registration, exhibits Intro, Keynote 1 Workshop Session 1 Workshop Session 2 Lunch Workshop Session 3 Keynote 2, wrap-up

Missionary Care: Missionaries are people just like you, often facing problems just like yours: caring for elderly relatives, responding to children’s educational needs, working hard – but not always succeeding – for harmony in marriage. How can we care for and love our missionaries?

Ministry in a World of Injustice/ in a World of Poverty: Two timely workshops that will explore the Church’s role in confronting the challenging and heart-breaking needs of our time. If you have a heart for compassion ministry, these workshops are for you.

Becoming a Missional Family: Is your vision for what God is doing around the world contagious? Have your children caught it? Come get encouragement and resources to help build your kids’ understanding that the world is bigger than their neighborhood, their school and their church.

guest speaker: Steve moore

Saturday & Sunday, April 20-21 Our Saturday keynote speaker Sunday guest preacher is, Steve Moore, president of Missio Nexus, an organization dedicated to empowering the Great Commission community of North America. Steve lives to see God’s people discover their individual passion and fulfill the specific call God has given them. His most recent book, Who is My Neighbor?, (Navpress, 2011) explores the parable of the Good Samaritan in a new light, observing that the religious expert in the story was really asking, “When does God expect me to take responsibility for the needs of others?” Moore goes on to frame that question in 21st century terms: Now that you have access to the needs of the whole world in the palm of your hand by way of a netbook, iPad, or mobile phone, who really is your neighbor? How exactly has living in a Google-powered world complicated the answer to such a simple question? How do we assign a meaningful page rank to the virtual tsunami of human needs that flood into our lives from every corner of the world? How do we keep from being swept away in the tidal wave of shame and guilt that results from paralyzing inaction? How do I know when God expects me to be a neighbor to the wounded and hurting people on the side of the road in this global village?. . . What happens when the needs of others are not only tragic but also chronic and epidemic? (From Who Is My Neighbor? To order copies of this resource, see www.navpress.com.)

Join us for the challenge – and the refreshing Gospel-oriented answers – that Steve has prepared to walk us through!

Wake Up Call!

Awaken to God’s Call Sunday Morning, April 21 • Steve Moore will join us in our morning services to inspire us to live lives focused on seizing the kingdom opportunities God has given us to be a blessing to the nations.

• Be sure to stop in the Calvary Café in the gym! Local community ministry partners will have displays with opportunities for everyone to get involved in blessing our neighbors.

Naptime is Over.

Awaken to What God Is Doing in Grand Rapids Sunday Evening, April 21 | 6:000pm Extreme poverty…orphans…human trafficking. Worldwide issues? Yes. Local issues? Yes! The Sunday evening service will focus on urban ministry right here in Grand Rapids. God has gifted each one of us, and everyone has a part to play in showing God’s love to our neighbors.

During the service, we will take time to celebrate the work God is doing in our community through Calvary volunteers. Join us in the gym after the service for carts of ice cream treat and more celebration!

Guest Speaker:

“The kids have stolen our hearts and not given them back! We have gotten to know families and enjoy having them over. Many kids do struggle when they reach 14 or so, but those who stay with the faith are a joy to see.”

— Anne & Carl Cetas

Guest Musicians:

Alf Clark, Executive Director of Urban Family Ministry Alfonso “Alf” Clark has been ministering in diverse settings in West Michigan for 13 years. He is enthusiastic about ministering to families, teaching the Word of God, and loving kids.

He says, “I know Urban Family Ministry (UFM) does not exist to replace churches, but instead assist churches in ministering to the whole family. What excites me about UFM is coming alongside staff, volunteers, families, churches and other ministries to maximize the impact of the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in our neighborhoods.”

Check back soon!

We will be announcing some very special guest muscicians who will help wake us up to the world right around us. Stay tuned! You won’t want to miss this.

calvary’s current local outreach partners: Mel Trotter Ministries Oasis of Hope Center Urban Family Ministries Urban Transformation Ministries Degage Ministries Health Intervention Services Forgotten Man Ministry Chaplaincy Services

What is it like to serve locally?

New Creations David’s House King’s Table Ministry Servant Center Alpha Women’s Center

Child Evangelism Fellowship Garden of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center Safe Haven Youth for Christ

A number of our local partners will have booths set up in the Calvary Café on Sunday morning. Be sure to stop by to meet them in person, and get more information about joining them in their efforts.

“It’s like I have 150 kids of my own.

Saturday night is the highlight of my week. It’s especially encouraging to see the students who are staying in school and staying faithful to the Lord.”

— Michelle Cummins

“It is important to me that my kids and I learn to serve, interact, and love those who look and live differently than we do.

I love their heart for God, for the inner city, and for each other. I don’t know how anyone could get involved and not become excited by what God is doing!”

— Danielle Eerdmans “I got to know UFM on the 5th and 6th grade mission trip. I have now been helping for two years with directing the youth choir and watching two and threeyear olds. I just fell in love with the kids.”

— Alden Wagaman